Sotah 35
כתבה על שני דפין פסולה ספר אחד אמר רחמנא ולא שנים ושלשה ספרים
If he wrote it on two Dafs it is invalid; the All-merciful spoke of one 'book' and not of two or three books. If he wrote one letter and blotted it out [with the water of bitterness] and then wrote another letter and blotted it out<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He did not write out the text in full before obliterating it. ');"><sup>1</sup></span>
בעי רבא כתב ב' מגילות לשתי סוטות ומחקן לתוך כוס אחד מהו כתיבה לשמה בעינן והאיכא או דילמא בעינן נמי מחיקה לשמה
Raba asked: How is it if he wrote two scrolls for two suspects and blotted them in one vessel of water? Do we only require that the writing should be expressly for each case? That we have here; or perhaps it is also necessary to have obliteration expressly for each case! If, furthermore, you conclude that we also require obliteration expressly for each case, how is it if he obliterated them in two vessels and then mixed them? Do we only require that the obliteration should be expressly for each case? That we have here; or perhaps each of the women does not drink the water prepared for her! If, furthermore, you conclude that [this renders the rite invalid because] each of the women does not drink the water prepared for her, how is it if he again divided the water into two parts [after having mixed it]? Is there or is there not a retrospective differentiation?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Bererah v. Glos. Do we regard the water now divided as being differentiated and identical with the original quantities of water? ');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ואם תמצא לומר בעינן נמי מחיקה לשמה מחקן בב' כוסות וחזר ועירבן מהו מחיקה לשמה בעינן והאיכא או דילמא הא לאו דידה קא שתיא והא לאו דידה קא שתיא
— The questions remain unanswered. Raba asked: How is it if he made her drink through a straw or tube? Is that to be regarded as a mode of drinking or not? — The question remains unanswered. R. Ashi asked: How is it if some of the water was spilt or remained over? The question remains unanswered.
ואם תמצא לומר הא לאו דידה קא שתיא והא לאו דידה קא שתיא חזר וחלקן מהו יש ברירה או אין ברירה תיקו
R. Zera said in the name of Rab: Why are two oaths mentioned in connection with a suspected woman?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Num. V, 19, 21. ');"><sup>3</sup></span>
בעי רבא השקה בסיב מהו בשפופרת מהו דרך שתיה בכך או אין דרך שתיה בכך תיקו
One [was imposed] before [the writing on] the scroll was blotted out and the other after it was blotted out. Raba demurred: They are both written [in the Scriptural text] before [the inscription on] the scroll was obliterated! But, said Raba, with one oath a curse was connected<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Verse 21 where the phrase oath of cursing occurs. ');"><sup>4</sup></span>
בעי רב אשי נשפכו מהן ונשתיירו מהן מהו תיקו
and not with the other. What was the formula of the oath with which a curse was connected? — R. Amram said in the name of Rab: 'I make thee swear that thou hast not misconducted thyself, for if thou hast, may [the curses] befall thee.' Raba asked: [In this wording] the curse and the oath are distinct!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The oath here is not connected with the curse, but relates to the wife's fidelity.] ');"><sup>5</sup></span>
א"ר זירא אמר רב ב' שבועות האמורות בסוטה למה אחת קודם שנמחקה מגילה ואחת לאחר שנמחקה
But, said Raba, [the formula is], 'I make thee swear that if thou hast misconducted thyself, may [the curses] befall thee'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The oath relates only to the wife's conduct and is not connected with the curse.] ');"><sup>6</sup></span>
מתקיף לה רבא תרוייהו קודם שנמחקה מגילה כתיבן אלא אמר רבא אחת שבועה שיש עמה אלה ואחת שבועה שאין עמה אלה
R. Ashi asked: [In this wording] there is a curse but no oath! But, said R. Ashi, [The formula is], 'I make thee swear that thou hast not misconducted thyself; and that if thou hast, may [the curses] befall thee'.
היכי דמי שבועה שיש עמה אלה אמר רב עמרם אמר רב משביעני עליך שלא נטמאת שאם נטמאת יבואו ביך
<b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. TO WHAT DOES SHE RESPOND 'AMEN, AMEN'? AN 'AMEN' OVER THE CURSE AND AN 'AMEN' OVER THE OATH; AN 'AMEN' WITH RESPECT TO THIS MAN<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who is the cause of the ordeal. ');"><sup>7</sup></span>
אמר רבא אלה לחודה קיימא ושבועה לחודה קיימא אלא אמר רבא משביעני עליך שאם נטמאת יבואו ביך
AND AN 'AMEN' WITH RESPECT TO ANY OTHER MAN;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' With whom she may have associated without her husband's knowledge. ');"><sup>8</sup></span>